Promise Me
by ReadingRed
Summary: "I want him to believe in love, because it is the most important thing. But you need to show him. Promise me." Hotch and Jack have to move on after Haley's murder. J.J. and Henry have to move on after Will leaves them. Maybe, together, they can make it.
1. Coping

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds

Title: Promise Me

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter One: Coping

"_I want him to believe in love, because it is the most important thing. But you need to show him. Promise me."_

It had been a year since Foyet had kidnapped Haley and Jack. A year since his son had lost his mother. Aaron Hotchner knew that the one thing Haley had wanted in her life was for her son to be happy, and now it was up to him, and him alone to make that happen. For months he had been at a loss on how to fulfill the promise he had made to Haley. How, exactly, do you teach someone about love?

Jack and he had had a rough time of it in the months after Haley's death, and it wasn't long before he was leaning on his sister-in-law Annie for help. She would come over and watch Jack when Aaron went out of town on a case and in the afternoons after Jack came home from preschool and before Aaron got home from work. Annie had been a godsend. After a few months it had started to get easier. Jack stopped asking for Haley at bedtime; Aaron stopped seeing her bloody face every time he looked at Jack. They still thought about her. Jack and Aaron still loved Haley, and Aaron would tell Jack stories of when Aaron and Haley were young, what they were like when they fell in love just like Haley had asked. But they had both started to heal.

Aaron was home for the evening and he and Jack were saying goodbye to Annie.

"Bye, Jack, I'll see you Monday okay?" Annie said knelling down in front of Jack and hugging the five year old.

"Okay Aunt Annie." He said before breaking out of the hug and running upstairs to play.

"Aaron, how are you? Are you dating yet?" Annie asked in her gentle way. Aaron was shocked by her question none the less.

"Annie, it's only been a year since…"

"I know how long it's been Aaron… She wouldn't want this. You know that. She'd want you to be happy. To be loved. You, but Jack especially, she would want him to know love."

"That's… that's what she said. She wanted me to show him love. It was the last thing she said to me, but that's why I've asked you to spend so much time with him, so he would have that."

"Oh, Aaron, I don't think that was what she meant sweetie." Annie said placing a comforting hand on his forearm. "Do you mind telling me exactly what she said; maybe I can tell you what she really meant. I am her sister you know." Annie said.

"Fine. Come on, there's no reason to do this in the doorway. You might as well sit down." Aaron said leading Annie away from the front door to the living room.

He sat down and took a deep, calming breath.

"Foyet let her call me. He wanted to make sure I knew what was going to happen. After I sent Jack upstairs and she said her goodbyes to him she told me 'I want him to believe in love, because it is the most important thing. But you need to show him. Promise me.' And right after I said I promise he shot her." Hotchner said. He couldn't look at Annie, he was afraid to see the emotions playing across her face.

"Oh, Aaron. See? She wanted you to move on, to find someone else, someone else to love so Jack could see what it was really supposed to be like. Remember when you two were in high school? That's the type of love she wants Jack to have, but first he has to see it's possible. I'm not saying that she wanted you to go out and marry the first girl you saw, but she wanted you to find someone to truly love, so Jack could grow up in a home with parents who love each other and who love him."


	2. Leaving

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds

Title: Promise Me

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Two: Leaving

"So this is it? You're leaving without so much as an explanation?" J.J. whispered the question. She had woken up to find nearly all of Will's belongings packed and the man coming back into the apartment to get another load to carry to his car. Will looked up with a start, and a small, childish part of J.J. laughed inwardly at scaring him, even if it hadn't been her intention.

Will let go of the bag he had just picked up and let out a long sigh.

"J.J." Will said, his southern accent soaking into the name in a way she had once found endearing. "I can't do this anymore, and I don't think you can either."

"No. No, don't you do that. You don't get to blame this on me. I'm not the one sneaking out in the middle of the night like I just had a bad one night stand. _You_ are the one leaving, _not_ me." J.J. said indignantly. "What was your plan? Were you just going to leave us a note? Were you even going to tell your son goodbye?"

From the look on his face, she could tell that whatever his plan might've been, it didn't include her waking up and catching him.

"J.J., I'm sorry, I really am, but I just can't do this anymore. I can't play mister mom. Hell, I never even wanted kids. Being with you was amazing, but we spent more time apart then we did together, I didn't know that this is what it was going to be like. This life, it isn't for me. I don't want it." Will said with a shrug of his shoulders.

J.J. fumed. "What about Henry? I don't care if you want to leave me, but what about your son? There's no way in hell I'm letting you take him back to Louisiana with you."

Will let out a bark of a laugh, trying at the end to turn it into a cough. "I don't want to take the baby with me J.J., you can keep him. Didn't you hear me? I don't want kids. I tried to make it work, but it isn't for me." Seeing her face Will tried another tactic. "We never got married. I don't want the kid and you can't make me pay for him anymore. I'll give up my rights to him. I'll sign anything you tell me to."

J.J. nodded, too stunned to speak, Will grinned his southern charm smile, the one that used to make her go week in the knees. Now it made her want to knee him in the groin.

"I'll mail them to you, signed and everything. You won't have to worry about a thing." Will made it sound so mundane, as if he was buying a sofa, rather than deciding the future of a little boy.

Seeing that she had nothing else to say Will picked up the last two bags that sat waiting by the door. He turned to leave but before he could get out the door, J.J. stopped him with one final question.

"What should I tell him?"

Will didn't even turn back to look her in the face.

"I don't care. Make something up if you want, tell him the truth if that's what you think is best. He's a baby, it's not as if he's going to understand anything you tell him anyway."

"Will, he's nearly two. He's going to know that you're not around anymore. He's going to want an answer" J.J. said. "Please, not like this. Don't leave him like this."

J.J. stared at the back of Will's head waiting for him to turn around and tell her that he had made a mistake. That he wasn't going to leave them. But it didn't happen. With a shrug of his shoulders and a shake of his head Will left.

And just like that, the man she thought she loved, the father of her only child walked out of their lives forever.

J.J. couldn't get make to sleep after Will left. Thoughts of his betrayal mixed with confusion over what to tell her young son when he awoke to find his father gone.

Henry was nearly two years old. How was she supposed to explain to him the failings of his father? How could she get him to understand something he should've never had to deal with?

J.J. knew she didn't have much time to come up with a solution. Henry woke early and it was nearly seven in the morning already. Finally she decided to call the one person who might be able to help her.

Dialing the phone she held her breath. Surely he would already be awake; he had a young child too after all.

Hotch answered on the forth ring. "Hello?"

"Hotch, it's J.J., I need your help." J.J. said into the receiver. She had to pull from her professional persona to keep her voice from wavering and sending Hotch into a panic.

Unfortunately her asking for help had already done that.

"What's wrong? Are you okay? Did something happen to Henry?" Hotch's words came out fast, his tone as stable as ever, but she knew she had scared him.

"No, no, Hotch we're both fine… physically anyway" J.J. paused for a minute trying to gain the courage to explain to him what had happened. Saying it would make it real.

Deciding to use the band-aid approach, the faster the better, J.J. decided to get it over with. Will wasn't worth causing this much trouble.

"Will left us this morning. Packed his bags while I was asleep. He didn't even say goodbye to Henry and now I don't know what to tell him. I'm supposed to be good with words but I have no idea how to tell an almost two year old boy that his father left and wants nothing to do with him."

"Just hang on J.J., I'll get Jack and we'll be right over. We'll do this together."

**AN: Thanks for the reviews/alerts/favorites they really make my day. **

**I do want to encourage people to make a FF account so they can leave signed reviews though. Having a signed review is the only way that I can respond back to any questions or comments a reader has, so please go ahead and make one it really only takes a minute.**


	3. Arriving

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds

Title: Promise Me

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Three: Arriving

It was 6:00 in the morning and the road was empty of all cars, all except one black SUV keeping a steady pace of ten miles per hour over the speed limit.

Aaron Hotchner wasn't sure why, exactly, he was racing across town to the small apartment of his media liaison. When she had called, for a moment, he had felt as if his heart had stopped beating. His mind had raced with thoughts of her in danger. When she told him that Will had left her and Henry his first reaction had been pure, unadulterated, relief.

J.J. and Henry were both safe. He had taken a deep breath in, reveling in the fact that they were not in danger. Then the sadness came over him. He knew what it was to have a spouse leave abruptly. And then, a feeling that horrified him, happiness.

How could he be happy that J.J.'s husband was no longer in the picture? How could he be happy that Henry no longer had a father present? Aaron knew what he would find if he looked much deeper into his thoughts and he wasn't ready to go there just yet. Hotchner slammed the door on his feelings, ignoring them for the time.

J.J. needed him now, so that's what he would focus on, being a strong support for a friend that needed someone to lean on. Support, and nothing more.

He was nearing her apartment when Jack woke up.

"Daddy. Where we goin'?" The five year olds' sleepy voice carried from the back seat.

"We're going to see Miss. J.J., you remember her don't you buddy? She has a little boy named Henry. We went to his birthday party a few months ago."

"Oh I remem…" Jack said, his words breaking off to make room for a yawn. "Ber."

Hotchner smiled at his son's early morning self.

"Henry's still a baby isn't he Daddy?" Jack said looking up into the rear view mirror and catching his father's gaze.

"Yes. Henry is about a year and a half old. I bet you'll have a lot more fun playing with him now then you did at his birthday though. He'll be walking a lot better now so maybe you can play tag, or hide and seek with him. You'll have to be gentle though."

"Okay Daddy. I'll be gentle. I like tag. Do you think he knows how to play tag? Maybe I'll have to teach him." Jack rattled off with a smile.

"I think Henry would really like for you to teach him how to play tag." That seemed to please the boy. Jack leaned back in his car seat with a smile on his face.

The rest of the short ride went by quietly. Jack hummed Mary had a Little Lamb, and Hotchner tried to race to J.J.'s apartment as fast as he could without putting himself and his son in danger.

They pulled into J.J.'s apartment complex finding a parking spot close to her building.

"We there Daddy?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, buddy. We're at J.J.'s. Are you still excited to play with Henry?"

"Yep… Hey Daddy? Is Mr. Will gonna be here?" Jack asked quietly.

"No he's not. Why do you ask, Jack?"

"Well…" Jack seemed reluctant to tell Hotchner his thoughts.

"You can tell me buddy." Hotchner encouraged his son, anger burning in his chest. If Will had hurt his son… He broke off the train of thought, slamming his emotions back into check.

"I just don't like him Daddy. He wasn't very nice to me at Henry's birthday party. He wasn't even nice to Henry, and he's Henry's daddy!" Jack exclaimed, his bewilderment at Will's actions clear in his young voice.

"What do you mean he wasn't nice to you or Henry? What did he do?" Hotch kept his voice even, trying to calm the sea of emotions rising up in his chest.

Jack dropped his gaze from his father's eyes in the rear view. Hotchner turned around in his seat, glad that they were parked for this conversation.

"Jack?" Hotchner used his father voice and it worked like a charm. Jack let out a sigh and began to speak.

"I tried to talk to him and he said 'go away punk' and then I asked him what punk meant and he said 'stupid kid' under his breath. I started crying and then Miss J.J. came in with baby Henry. She asked me what 'appened, but 'fore I could tell her Mr. Will said that I fell down, but I didn't Daddy. I was crying 'cause he said something mean to me! And then I looked at him and he looked at me like this" Jack said mimicking the face for Hotchner. Jack scrunched his little eyebrows together and pursed his lips. The face was utterly ridiculous on a five year old but on an adult it would be intimidating. Again the fury roared, and again Hotchner pushed it down. Will was gone now; he would never again upset Hotch's son.

"Miss J.J. took made me feel better though. She gave me a hug and kissed my forehead, and let me sit on her lap, and I wasn't sad anymore."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Hotchner asked.

"Because Daddy, I wasn't sad anymore. I already told you that" Jack said with as much indignation a five year old could muster.

Hotchner let out a soft laugh. Clearly his son wasn't scared for life.

"Well what about Henry? You said Will… Mr. Will, wasn't nice to Henry either, what did he do to the baby?"

"He was really mean to Henry, Daddy. Mr. Will was sitting down and Henry crawled over and stood up next to Mr. Will's lay back chair" Jack told Hotchner, using his own word for recliner.

"Henry said up, but Mr. Will didn't pick him up, he knocked him over! Mr. Will pushed Henry with his foot and Henry fell right over on his butt. Henry started crying and he got back up and said 'up' again, but Mr. Will just knocked him over again. Henry cried really, really loud, but Mr. Will didn't care. He didn't even pick him up. Everybody else was outside so I don't think they heard Henry cry. I went right over and picked Henry up. Hey Daddy, guess what?"

Surprised at the change of subject but used to Jack's mannerisms, Hotchner went with the flow of the conversation and obliged his son.

"What Jack?"

"Henry looks small, but he is really heavy!"

Hotch laughed. "I'll bet." Letting the story sink in Hotchner looked back at his son.

"Jack, the way Mr. Will treated you and Henry was not right. He should not've said mean things to you, and he really should not have knocked baby Henry down. If anyone ever treats you like that again, or if you see someone hurting Henry, I want you to tell me or Ms. J.J. right away. Do you understand?"

"Yes Daddy." Jack nodded fervently.

"Alright, now how about we go see Ms. J.J. and little Henry?"

"Yes!" Jack shouted and he rushed to get out of his booster seat.

Hotch got out of the car and opened Jack's door for him. Jack grabbed his hand and jumped from the SUV. They made their way to J.J.'s door and Hotch let Jack knock.

J.J. answered the door midway through Jack's second knock.

"You're here." She said in a whispery breath, holding a crying baby Henry on her hip.

"I'm here." Hotch answered.

**AN: I just wanted to say that I don't want to portray Will as a monster or anything like that, I really just want to show him as a very immature man. In the last chapter he said that he just wasn't cut out to be a father and in this one, the things he does to Henry and Jack are bad, yes, but they aren't necessarily abuse. I think of them as things a jealous older brother would do. If I missed my mark, let me know. Like I said, I don't want to make him a monster, I just want to show him as an immature man who isn't ready, and isn't willing, to be a father. **


	4. Comforting

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds

Title: Promise Me

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Four: Comforting

"Come in, please. Just make yourselves at home. Sorry about the mess. Will… left things in a shamble when he packed his stuff."

Hotch and Jack stepped into JJ's home and saw immediately what she was talking about.

There were random bits of paper strewn about the room. JJ and Henry's clothes littered the floor and furniture. Hotch guessed that Will had thrown them about as he had packed his own belongings.

It was obvious because of the placement of certain items that many things were missing. From what he remembered of the last time he was here, JJ used to own a stereo and a TV set… not anymore.

JJ broke the slight awkwardness by addressing Jack. "Why don't you go check out Henry's room. I think there are a few toys in there from when you were over here for Henry's birthday party"

"Cool!" Jack shouted before running off down the hall to Henry's room. Hotch was glad that J.J. had a ground floor apartment and there wasn't anybody downstairs for Jack to wake up.

"JJ, let me have Henry, you need a break." Hotch said, offering to take the crying toddler.

She smiled a weary smile and handed her son over. Hotch cradled the little boy in his arms. Henry laid his head on Hotch's shoulder and with a few teary sniffles started to quiet down.

"Thanks for coming over Hotch. Henry's always liked you…" J.J. looked at her boss cradling her son. "How am I going to do this alone? I don't think I can do this. I'm his mother and I couldn't get him to stop crying…"

"Listen to me J.J." her eyes connected with his and he could see the tears in them. "You. Are. A. Great. Mother. I don't know why any man would leave you, why any man would leave his son behind, but you will make it through this. Henry has you for a mother and he is the luckiest boy in the world because of that."

Now they tears started to fall from her eyes. Hotch pulled J.J. into his arms. J.J. collapsed into him.

"I won't leave you J.J., I'm here. I'm here." He guided her to the couch and together they sat down. He adjusted Henry on his lap and J.J. curled into the crook of his arm. Now all they need is Jack to come out to complete this picture. Hotch thought to himself. Just as the thought was formed Jack came into the living room. The little boy stopped in his tracks when he saw his dad, J.J., and Henry all curled up together on the sofa.

"Where am I going to sit?" he asked in a small voice, feeling the tiniest bit left out.

J.J. opened her arms to the boy and with a smile Jack ran and took his place by her side. Nearly as one they fell asleep on the sofa. Their problems could wait for a couple hours. For now, they sleep.

It was hours later that Hotch and J.J. awoke to find Jack and Henry playing with toys on the floor. The boys were playing as quietly as a nearly two year old and a five year old could, which meant that the noise was kept to a gentle roar. J.J. smiled at the sight and for the first time she really believed what Hotch had told her. They would make it through this. Somehow, she and Henry would be okay.

Hotch was watching the boys as well. It was wonderful to see Jack being so carefree. All too often the little boy would retreat into himself, preferring to spend time alone or just with his father, rather than with other children. He was glad that the younger boy could bring Jack out of his shell.

"Daddy, you're awake!" Jack shouted when he looked up from his game and saw Aaron.

"Hey Jack, what're you two playing?"

"Tuk's!" Henry answered, holding the toy truck up in the air for Aaron to see.

"Wow, trucks huh? You having fun?" J.J. asked.

"Yep, Henry didn't wanna play tag so we're playin' wif his trucks instead." Jack replied.

"Mama, food!" Henry said with the enthusiasm of a nearly two year old.

"Are you hungry too Jack?" she asked. "I could make pancakes."

Jack looked to Hotch for confirmation. At his father's nod Jack told J.J. "yes, please!"

"Pan'ake's!" Henry added.

They ate breakfast together and J.J. felt herself forgetting that they weren't a family. It felt so natural to sit at the small square table with Aaron to her right, Henry to left, and Jack directly across from her.

The conversation was light and carefree, and Will was the furthest thing from her mind. The sadness of the morning had left, and J.J. was happy to let it go. Reality could wait for tomorrow.


	5. I Promise

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds

Title: Promise Me

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Five: I Promise

J.J. was nearly to her breaking point. It had been five months since Will had left and being a single parent was harder than she could've ever imagined. The first few weeks had been terrible. Figuring out how to parent alone had been a challenge to say the least.

It hadn't been the big stuff that gave her trouble, like who would watch Henry while she was at work. She had the FBI daycare right at her work after all, and Hotchs' sister-in-law had offered to keep Henry when the team had to go out of state. It was the tiny, little stuff that was the most difficult. Like what do to with Henry while she made supper or when she took a shower. It was being the only one there to take care of Henry. It was drying his tears that inevitably fell whenever he wanted his daddy and the man never came. J.J. didn't want Will back in her life, but it would've been nice for him to stick around for his kid.

Hotch had been a Godsend during those first few weeks. When he first offered to help she had accepted immediately. He had said he knew what it was like to suddenly become a single parent, and he wanted to be there for her and Henry.

As time went on and Henry and she spent more and more time with Hotch and Jack her feelings had started to change. She started to view Hotch as less of a boss and more of a friend. Those feelings she was starting to have for her boss scared her. If he was around her outside of work, J.J. knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself. She wanted Aaron Hotchner, and the only way to keep that colossal mistake from happening was to stay far, far away from the man. She had started to pull away. She and Henry stopped going over to the Hotchner home every Sunday for lunch and a playdate, and the offer for Jack and Hotch to come over to movie night had been rescinded. It hurt to lose another man in her life, but she wasn't ready for another relationship… At least that's what she kept telling herself.

"Mama!" Henry yelled from his crib and a smile sprang unbidden to J.J.'s face. Yes, she was doing this alone, but she wouldn't trade her little man for anyone, or anything in the world.

She walked into his baby blue room and pulled her son into her arms.

"Hey, Big Guy. Did you sleep well?" J.J. asked before pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Mama, Hotch?" Henry asked.

"Hotch isn't here baby. He and Jack are at their house" she explained as they walked out of the bedroom and to the kitchen.

"No! Mama Hotch! Hotch, 'Ack!" Henry said, demanding that Jack and Hotch come over.

"Baby…" J.J. said wearily. She sat Henry down in his high chair and pulled a bowl down from the cupboard.

"Hotch peas Mama?" Henry asked, using his manners just like they'd been working on lately.

"I'll call him alright? He and Jack might not be able to come over. Alright?" J.J. asked. Her son's enthusiastic nod was all the confirmation she needed. She poured Cherrio's into Henry's bowl and as he started to eat she tracked down her cell phone.

She dialed in his number automatically and held her breath until he answered. She didn't have to wait long because Hotch answered on the third ring.

"J.J? Are you okay? How's Henry?" He asked in a rush.

"We're fine Hotch. Henry's actually why I'm calling though. He really wants to see you and Jack. Do you think…" she couldn't even get the offer out before Hotch accepted it.

"Yes!" he said, and she swore she could hear his smile through the phone. "We'll be over as soon as I can get Jack up and out the door. He's been wanting to come over and visit you guys too" Hotch left it unsaid that Jacks' visit had been left undone because J.J. wouldn't answer his calls.

"Great, I'll tell Henry that you guys are coming. We'll see you when you get here okay?"

"Sounds great. We'll see you in a bit" Hotch said before hanging up.

"Henry, guess what?" J.J. asked smiling at her son.

"Hotch 'n 'Ack?" the little boy asked with a smile.

"Yep. Hotch said Jack really wants to come see you" J.J. told him and watched as his smile grew. It had been way too long since her son had looked like that.

"Eat up so you can play with Jack when he gets here" J.J. said.

"K, Mama" Henry said before trying to shove a fistful of Cherrio's into his mouth. J.J. laughed at the boys antics and started to clean up the apartment.

Less than thirty minutes later there was a series of knocks at her front door. Henry bolted up from his place on the carpet and made a b line to the door. He stood impatiently at the door as he tried to work the child lock.

"Mama!" he yelled.

"I'm coming Buddy, just give me a second" J.J. said as she made her way across the room. She unlocked the door and Henry swung it open.

"Ack!" the little boy yelled at the sight of Jack.

"Henry!" Jack yelled in the same manner. The boys ran at each other and fell to the floor in an overly enthusiastic hug.

"Hey, J.J." Hotch said, pulling her into a hug.

J.J. couldn't help it, she melted into his embrace. Their bodies fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle.

"Hey Hotch" she mumbled into his chest.

"We missed you two" Hotch said as they parted and he entered the apartment.

"I know, I got your messages. We missed you guys too."

Henry and Jack had ran back to Henry's bedroom so they didn't have to worry about the children overhearing the conversation. That was the only reason Hotch asked his next question.

"Why? Why didn't you call back. J.J., I know you feel this too. We can be good together. Our kids already love each other. Why can't we give this a try?"

"I can't just give this a try Hotch! I need to know that it will work out. I like you Hotch, and I love our friendship, and we work together. All of that will be ruined when we break up" J.J. said, avoiding Hotch's gaze. When she looked up she saw a goofy grin on his face.

"What?" she couldn't stop herself from asking.

"You like me? You said you like me" Hotch said in a sing song tone.

"Oh shut up. You know I like you Hotch" J.J. said

"Well, I know, but it's still nice to hear you say it" he smiled and she couldn't help herself. She smiled back.

"J.J. listen to me" he said, putting a more serious tone on the conversation. "This doesn't have to end badly. You never know. Maybe we'll end up married with six kids" he said with a laugh.

J.J. smiled at the image, but she was still unsure.

"J.J. I'll never leave you. I'll be there for you and Henry no matter what. I'll be a father to Henry if you'll let me, and if you want Jack would love to have you for a mother. We can do this J.J. We can be a family" Hotch said, looking into her eyes.

"You can't say that. You don't know what will happen a year from now, five years from now. You can't say stuff like that" J.J. said with tears in her eyes. In their line of work, tomorrow was never a guarantee.

"You're right J.J., but I need you to know that I will never voluntarily leave you. I will do everything in my power to stay here with you and our family" Hotch said taking a step closer to her.

J.J. raised a hand and gently touched the side of Hotch's face and said two words, "promise me."

"I promise."


End file.
